We’ve Got A Jumper!

Hayden Christensen may not have wowed audiences with his wooden deliveries in the Star Wars prequels, but the guy really can act. Look no further than Shattered Glass for proof. Apparently, director Doug Liman (Swingers) believes that he has what it takes, too.

The Hollywood Reporter is confirming the rumor that Hayden is set to join Liman’s big-budget thriller Jumper, replacing Tom Sturridge in the lead role of David. There have been casting rumors brewing for months, but they have recently been confirmed. He is in good company: Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, and Teresa Palmer are also starring in the project for 20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises.

Jumper, based on the novel by Steven Gould, is about a young man (Christensen) who discovers that he has the ability to teleport. In his journey to find the man responsible for his mother’s death, he draws attention from a National Security Agent (Jackson) and another kid with teleporting abilities (Bell). The script was originally written by David Goyer, and then rewritten by Simon Kinberg. Fox and Regency are hoping to turn the flick into a trilogy, if it finds an audience that forgives Hayden for making Vader as scary as a granola bar.